UPDATE: The SAG hardliners held serve! To be continued at a future emergency board meeting.
EARLIER: I just spoke with Jonathan Handel, who along with half a dozen other folks is keeping vigil outside SAG headquarters on Wilshire. Not only don't we know anything about what's going on inside there -- the one person who talked to the press, Seymour Cassel, was sent home -- we now don't even know when the meeting is ending, because the supposed 1 p.m. stop time (so East Coast members could catch their planes) was more than two hours ago.
So while we wait, let's look at some video. Here's one I made with four hardliners, good guys, fun to talk to, named the Wild Bunch. Their looks are their calling card; they're often cast as thugs or inmates (group rates?). Before approaching them I had attempted to interview some of the Old Guard, including Bill Daniels and Ed Asner. Now, in their defense, I walked into this scene about as prepared as Larry King. (In particular, I was confused as to whether the leaflets the hardliners were handing out was pro- or anti-leadership -- even other actors agreed the leaflets were confusing.)
That said, Daniels and a couple of other old-timers couldn't have been more condescending to me if they'd put on French accents. Asner was solid, very quotable, but when I was done I still had questions. These guys answered them. I watched them handing out leaflets. They didn't bicker with the anti's, they were cheerful and -- in the clip you'll see below -- they gave a solid defense of the Membership First line. I don't agree with the MF strategy but I do believe that struggling actors like the Wild Bunch are excellent spokesdudes for it. From left to right they are Corey Richardson, Eric Brande, Dave Slattery (the first to talk) and Alan Gray.
I am a SAG member and not of the upper 2% who are making a lot of money even in times like these when there is no work.
Those 12 to 20 A_LIST actors who are making this seem like a walk in the park should be shot. I am so surprised at George Clooney, Glen close and most of the others on the list.
The other 98% of SAG members are not making money, but these inconsiderate, self absorbed, greedy A_LISTERs have the nerve to try to sway the STRIKE AND THE OPINION OF OTHER SAG MEMBERS?
This is AMERICA. EVERYBODY HAS JUMPED ON THE BAND WAGON WITH THE TAILBAN AND ARE TERRORIZING EACH OTHER. THIS IS TERRORISM IN IT'S WORST FORM. SO I NAME ALL THOSE A-LISTERS USA BIN LADEN. WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS NOT WORSE THAN BIN LADEN DID OR WHAT GOERGE BUSH DID FOR THAT MATTER. THEY SELFISH CONDESENDING ARE ASSHOLES
Posted by: Susie Stillwell | January 15, 2009 at 11:24 AM